The SUV enamoured by Gen X has been reborn, this time looking to connect with the next generation of younger drivers. Alongside it sits a new sub-brand, dubbed Avinya, bringing an entirely new level of luxury into the Tata fold
The Sierra is an important model for Tata and in particular for drivers in the brand’s home market of India, where it first launched in 1991 as a quirky mid-size SUV.
It joined the likes of the Suzuki Samurai, Mitsubishi Pajero and Daihatsu Fourtrak as a compact off-roader, capable of hauling the kids to school and then driving home through the woods. At the time, a distinctive rear window that wrapped upwards into the roof helped to set it apart from the pack. Boxy and square-jawed up front, it was very much of the era.
Now, there is a new model due to launch very soon. It too is also reflective of the status quo with slightly softer lines and rounded edges – a result of stricter aerodynamics and pedestrian impact requirements. That is not to say it has followed the crowd with a homogenous crossover form. No, that rear window is as quirky as ever, now an optical illusion created by black contrast cladding on the roof and a body-coloured boot spoiler that appears to float in mid air. Black A-pillars create a similar effect at the front, as if the roof has been bracketed on at the B-pillar.
On our visit to the studio, Uhlarik notes that the new Sierra was informally codenamed Project XYZ for how it speaks to multiple generations: the Gen Xers who might have owned one, or knew someone who did, in the past; and Gen Y and Z who are being passed the baton. “To have a cross generational appeal was always the remit of the project,” says Uhlarik.
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